A New Tree: Finding Purpose When Life Feels Fruitless | Pillay Place EP24

What if the reason you feel stuck isn't what you're doing — but where you're rooted?

In this episode, Rahul and Van unpack one of the most quietly powerful moments in the Bible: the day God changed Abram's name to Abraham. Not because of what he'd done, but because of what he was destined to produce. And the same thing happens to every person who chooses faith in Jesus — a new tree gets planted inside of you, with new roots, a new identity, and a whole new capacity for fruit.

Van shares what it felt like to go from Van Nguyen to Van Pillay — and how a name change is never just about the name. Rahul gets honest about a season before he found Jesus, including a cringe-worthy phone call and the grace that followed. Together, they explore what it actually means to be rooted in truth, and why clarity and confidence become so much more natural when your source is God.

Prayer Of Salvation In Jesus Christ:
"Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and I ask you to forgive me of my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for me and rose from the dead. I receive You, Jesus, as my Savior and my Lord. Guide me and help me to do your will. Thank You for saving me, and giving me eternal life. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Let us know if you accepted Jesus by telling us in the comments. We would love to hear from you and celebrate with you.

"Life is not always easy — but life can get very simple if you're rooted in the truth."
If you've been wondering where your fruit went, this conversation is for you.


Subscribe for more faith-filled conversations that help you grow in purpose, peace, and everyday clarity. 🌱

#PillayPlace #FaithPodcast #ChristianMindset #BiblicalWisdom #ChristianGrowth #FaithAndIdentity #PurposeDrivenLife #FaithOverFear #FamilyAndFaith #PeaceThroughFaith

Find us on Spotify @pillayplacepodcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/6yDlDhEWsh21t2zeg7f5AC?si=B7-HfM0VR6SJuI2i7l4Kdg

YouTube: @pillayplacepodcast 

https://www.youtube.com/@PillayPlacePodcast

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

You don't call a tree by its seed, but you call a tree by the fruit it produces. God is doing the same exact thing with Abraham. He's actually changing his name so that Abraham would know the fruit he is supposed to produce.

SPEAKER_04 0:20

Okay, I went from Van Nguyen to Van delay. I no longer see myself as a single woman.

SPEAKER_02 0:30

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 0:30

Right? I see myself now as a married woman.

SPEAKER_02 0:33

That's right.

SPEAKER_04 0:34

And that change does something. When we go back to like the relationship and and with God, it's like I want to know you, God. Yes. Like who you are, not just know of you have from the distance.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

Life is not always easy. But life can get very simple if you're rooted in the truth.

SPEAKER_04 0:57

If you just focus on the truth, it actually navigates you to clarity.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

That's right. Hi everybody. Welcome back to the Pillet Place podcast. Um, it's uh Rahul and your very own host, Van Pillet, my wife. Um so to in this week's episode, we're talking about a new tree.

SPEAKER_04 1:21

Okay, what does that mean?

SPEAKER_01 1:24

So um, so actually, this is gonna be a little different. We're going to um talk about a specific scripture in the book of Genesis in the Bible, Genesis chapter 17, specifically verse 5, and maybe a few verses around it. But um, there's a new tree that the Lord plants inside of us at a moment in time. And let me just read the scripture and then we'll discuss it. Um, in Genesis chapter 17, verse 5, the scripture says God is speaking to Abraham and he goes, No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. Okay, and that's really important. And um, and the and the best way I can put it, right, is that um you don't call a tree by its seed, but you call a tree by the fruit it produces. What do I mean by that? We don't say, we don't really know what a banana tree looks like, but we know what bananas look like very easily, right? So in order to identify the tree, we go banana tree. In order to identify the apple tree, we go apple tree, right? We don't describe it by the seed, we don't describe it by the roots, we don't describe it by the big tree, small tree, any of those things, right? And God is doing the same exact thing with Abraham, He's actually changing his name so that Abraham would know the fruit he is supposed to produce.

unknown 3:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:02

All right. So, what do I mean by that? Abraham was designated to be a father of many nations. Similar to, I mean, like enough about Abraham, because you're probably if you're anything like me in this podcast, you're like, okay, you talk about Abraham a lot, but how does this apply to me? How it applies to each and every one of us is there's a specific tree that we're supposed to be, and with specific fruit. What is that specific fruit? Okay, that's the whole point. And it starts with the initial, it's kind of like how God started with Abraham, the point at which he changed Abraham's name. All of us have a change in our identity, in our, in our, not necessarily an identity, but like our change in our makeup, the moment we believe in Jesus, the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord is the moment that there's a new tree that's planted in us. We're a new person.

SPEAKER_04 4:00

You know what that reminds me of? How when um like when we got married and I changed my name?

SPEAKER_03 4:11

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 4:12

That's exactly Yeah, like I'm no longer like Van Noen.

SPEAKER_03 4:18

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 4:19

You know, I'm Van Pillet, and there is I there is an actual identity change in that. Yes. I am now a wife.

SPEAKER_02 4:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 4:29

Yeah, and then when we have kids and our kids have your last name, I am now a mom. Like the there's a a change in who I am.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

Yeah, and we as a tree are producing the fruit thereof, right? And um, and but that's a great example because the truth is that's literally what the scripture says. You know, you leave your family and two becomes one, right? Similar to that, before you and I were together, right, we both independently chose Jesus, right? And in that, in our belief, like Jesus is our God, we something changed inside of us, right? We the Bible calls it born again. But long story short is when you believe in Jesus, you become a tree that is eternal, right, whose roots are God. And what do I mean by that? That means that now your desire system, your entire ecosystem, your heart actually operates out of the tree of life, and you're no longer operating as a tree that's just simply a part of this world. So Allah, I said a lot there, that's very deep. But all I'm trying to say is that your source is now God. God becomes your source, and your source is not anything external than that. Obviously, a relationship with God will keep this refined, but more importantly, when God becomes your source, the things that you desire now, right, should come from him.

SPEAKER_04 6:01

And it does come from him, it does come from him.

SPEAKER_01 6:03

It's scripture says that um if you delight in him, he will give you the desires of your heart.

SPEAKER_04 6:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:11

Right?

SPEAKER_04 6:14

What do you in in this moment with Abraham? How do you think it was for Abraham to have his name change?

SPEAKER_01 6:25

Yeah, for him it was a is a physical change, right? Like his actual name changed. And and I think it's a it's a um it's just a it's a method for God to teach us what actually happens. We are so for Abraham, it was a true change of how he's being recognized.

SPEAKER_04 6:49

Well, not I I almost it's almost how you see yourself.

SPEAKER_01 6:52

It's how you see yourself. Yeah. It's how you see yourself. Recognition of how happens for yourself too. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:58

Like it's not just because I'm just thinking, okay, I went from Van Nguyen to Van Pillet. Right. I don't see my I no longer see myself as a single woman.

SPEAKER_03 7:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 7:14

Right. I see myself now as a married woman.

SPEAKER_02 7:17

That's right.

SPEAKER_04 7:18

And and that change does something.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

Well, you're also, you you you actually have a different function. You're a part different part of your life. It's a different the old has gone and the new has come. Yeah. Like there's so much behind this, right?

SPEAKER_04 7:37

So, what was that like for you going from like Hindu to becoming a Christian where that identity changed?

SPEAKER_01 7:47

So that was part of a journey change for me. That for me, it felt like, okay, that's a different way of life, right? And when when I was when I believed in Jesus, it wasn't just okay, yeah, I believe in Jesus. I asked Jesus for evidence that he is actually God. I received it. And if you have not, please um go back and listen to the very first episode we posted on our podcast uh space in YouTube or whatever channel you're subscribing. Go back to the very first episode and it talks about my story about how I found uh Jesus. Or more importantly, uh yeah, how how I got a revelation of Jesus is God. I used to be a Hindu, but long story short is I knew that now my journey, my choices came from the truth.

SPEAKER_04 8:36

It's aligned to him.

SPEAKER_01 8:39

Yeah, it's aligned to him. More importantly, I was more confident about my decisions. I was more confident about okay, I'm going, I think the right way.

SPEAKER_04 8:51

I mean, that is so good. That is so good because your source is now God.

SPEAKER_03 8:58

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 8:58

I mean, I experienced that as you're from your being your girlfriend dating a Hindu to being married to you after you found Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 9:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:12

Right? Like I I see and I feel the difference.

SPEAKER_00 9:17

Right.

SPEAKER_04 9:17

Like there was that one time, I think you oh, we were dating, and you decided to call your ex-girlfriend.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

It's amazing the things you actually remember.

SPEAKER_04 9:33

Do you remember? We were pretty soon. I don't remember. I just I remember. I remember. And you decided to call your ex-girlfriend who is married.

SPEAKER_00 9:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:46

Okay. All right. And then you called and then hit her her husband?

SPEAKER_00 9:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:54

Picked up.

SPEAKER_00 9:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:56

And said to like leave his wife alone. Yeah. And then told you to go find a therapist. Which is so ironic because you're married to one now.

SPEAKER_01 10:08

I can't believe you actually remember the whole thing. This is amazing.

SPEAKER_04 10:12

No, but I remember that's this because you ended up telling me afterwards.

SPEAKER_00 10:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 10:18

And I was pretty hurt by the fact that you called her. But then you called your best friend. Okay. Who, if you're listening to this, I so respect you. But man, that was a bad advice. Because you told him not to tell me. Right? Like, and this is when you poor guy. Yeah, you were like, no, if I were you, I wouldn't, I wouldn't tell her. Like, if you really want to stay with Van and like continue dating her, I would not tell her.

SPEAKER_00 10:51

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 10:54

Poor choices.

SPEAKER_00 10:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 10:56

Yeah. But you ended up telling me. And I think it's because you told me and how hard it was to tell me. I gave you grace.

SPEAKER_01 11:06

Yeah. And I mean, yeah, I mean, the great I I feel like grace is another message, and we should talk about that later because that that is very powerful. Um But it is so true. When the when the tree inside of you is brand new and it comes from God Himself, a lot of a lot of your pathways, no matter how difficult the circumstances may be, becomes simpler. I'm not gonna say it's easy. Life is not always easy, but life can get very simple if you're rooted in the truth. Right. And I mean, we have c come upon extremely hard circumstances, right? And we we probably don't have time to describe many of them, but we'll the what I have learned in life is that with God, with the truth, with truth, things are much simpler.

SPEAKER_04 12:05

And it's and it's supposed to be.

SPEAKER_01 12:07

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 12:07

Like, and I think that truth is is so important if you just focus on the truth, it actually navigates you to clarity.

SPEAKER_02 12:19

That's right.

SPEAKER_04 12:19

Right. It points you. It's simple, yeah. Because it's not confusion.

SPEAKER_03 12:25

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 12:25

It's not opinion.

SPEAKER_03 12:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 12:28

It's not eat they're not even facts. They're because facts change, but truths don't change.

unknown 12:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 12:35

And so if you just stick to the truth, it will give you clarity and direction, and you're just less confused. It's it's easier.

SPEAKER_01 12:47

And and um, you know, the tree and the fruit analogy is very important. And if you are anybody that knows the Bible a little bit, you may say, well, Old Testament's, you know, it's past and it's in the old. Well, let's go to the New Testament. In John chapter 15, Jesus is talking to um, Jesus is speaking and he's teaching, and he says that without me, you can't bear much fruit. You can't bear much fruit, right? But with me, you'll bear fruit, right? God will prune you, and it's for the objective so that you may bear a lot more fruit. And some and sometimes we get caught up on fruit, is all about having children and children's children. No, no, no, no. Fruit is about having a heavenly life that God intended for you to have before sin came in the world. That's what fruit is. And after you receive Jesus, you can have the same exact fruit he intended for you to have before sin existed in this world. Right? And that's how we believe, I believe we have, you know, we have our finances. I mean, it's not perfect, right? Nothing's perfect in this world. But with him, a lot of things look very perfect because he loves to bear fruit.

SPEAKER_04 14:08

Yeah, that's so good because I think a lot of time when we're in a season where we're like, where is the fruit? Yeah, right, like where where is it? Like, I've been doing this and this and this. It's important to go back and revisit. Like, are you in line with the truth?

SPEAKER_03 14:30

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 14:31

So, what is this truth? That we keep saying truth, and but in in this Abraham story, yes, what is the truth?

SPEAKER_01 14:42

Well the the first and foremost, the truth is um who is God, and God is Jesus Himself, Jesus is Lord. That's the number one truth that we need to know and believe.

SPEAKER_04 14:58

I love that because it's you know who he is.

SPEAKER_02 15:03

That's right.

SPEAKER_04 15:03

Right? It's not about what you do or what I love this example. I heard somewhere and I can't.

SPEAKER_01 15:13

Before you get into that, I just want to make just want to finish that thought.

SPEAKER_04 15:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:17

Why is it important to know who God is? Because once you know the source of creation, you can know creation itself. Meaning that the moment that you know God, then you can know who you are. This is the point about the tree that's inside of you. That's the truth. The truth is know the source, the truth, that's God, Jesus Himself, Jesus His Lord. Okay. Two is once you know that, the tree that he plants inside of you, the new person that you're supposed to be, right? Will actually reveal who you are. The tree that you are supposed to be, the fruit that you're supposed to produce. Because it's not just one fruit, it's not just okay, have a kid and that's it. Your life is over. It's many facets of life.

SPEAKER_04 16:03

Sometimes life is over. No, I'm just kidding.

SPEAKER_01 16:05

Life is like a box of chocolates, right? But like your point being is it's a journey. You get a lot more out of life once you know what the truth is.

SPEAKER_04 16:14

Well, when you know when you know the truth, you also know like the depth of the possibility.

SPEAKER_02 16:25

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:26

Right.

SPEAKER_02 16:27

That's exactly right.

SPEAKER_04 16:28

Like you know what he can actually do.

SPEAKER_01 16:32

Um and he w and he doesn't do things without you.

SPEAKER_04 16:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:37

Right. Yeah. He's just the root system. You just said, well, you went made a comment earlier, and I want to I want to highlight this because you said sometimes we don't see fruit, and we're trying to figure out what am I doing wrong or what am I not doing. Right? Actually, it's not about the doing, it's about looking at your root system and watering your root system.

SPEAKER_00 16:57

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 16:58

Right? So if your tree is not producing any fruit, is your root getting enough water? Meaning that go back to your relationship with God and see how that relationship is. Spend some time with him. That's watering.

SPEAKER_04 17:12

Yeah, you know, I have a cousin. Um I think she's in some other state right now, right? We grew up together. Yeah. And I know her. Um well, I I knew her. I knew her. And we're related by blood. But I don't have a relationship with her anymore. I think we just kind of grew up and like grew up.

SPEAKER_00 17:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 17:40

Right. And when we meet, it's like, okay, we're going back to like how we were when we were like four, five, six, seven, eight, like when we were like living together under the same roof. And sometimes I miss that. I miss, oh, I miss my cousin. Like she's only a year younger than me.

SPEAKER_00 18:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 18:00

And like I miss her. And I feel like I don't know her. She's so far away.

SPEAKER_00 18:05

Right.

SPEAKER_04 18:05

I know of her, and she's we're related and things like that, but I don't know what she's up to. And I think when we go back to the relationship and and with God, we're going back to that. Is like, I want to know you, God. Yes. Like who you are, not just know of you have from the distance.

SPEAKER_01 18:29

That's right.

SPEAKER_04 18:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:31

That's a that's a great place to sum this up because I was thinking about how do I sum this up? And that's how you do it. If you want to produce the fruit that you're supposed to produce and you want to see a lot of fruit, first and foremost, get to know Jesus, God Himself. Right? And it's simply opening up your heart and asking Him to come in and revealing Himself to you. That's it.

SPEAKER_04 19:02

Yeah, and you mentioned like if you want to produce, it's almost like if you know who God is, it just produces naturally. It's just it's been coded that way.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

It's like it's like plugging in a floor lamp into the electrical socket. You get plugged into the source of electricity energy or life, and then all you have to do is flip the switch and he will flip that switch.

SPEAKER_04 19:35

Um, if you have any if you feel if you ever feel like you have a hard time connecting with God, you know, I would invite you to put it down in the comments and we would be happy to pray for you. Um and if you enjoy the episode, please give us a thumbs up and subscribe, share it with a friend, um, and let us know what you think about this episode.

SPEAKER_01 20:06

Uh, for those of you that that that where this message really spoke to your heart and you know who you are, um I would I would welcome you to pray a simple prayer that we're gonna put in the comments. And we believe, my wife and I, and our executive producer, we believe that once you pray that prayer, that you're a new person, that God has entered into your heart, and you will know it. And and please tell us about your experience. We would love to hear, we get excited about it. It's just like how I shared my journey with you in my first episode. We just hope that you share with us. Um, and God bless you.